By Marcus Richardson: David Price has a great chance to turn his career around if he beats Alexander Povetkin on March 31. The two heavyweights have agreed to terms to face each other on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Joseph Parker at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
The Povetkin-Price fight will be announced this week. Hearn is over the moon that he’s getting this fight on the Joshua-Parker card.
What’s at stake for the Povetkin vs. Price fight is the No1 ranking with the World Boxing Association. Along with the #1 ranking is a title shot against Joshua, and a big, big payday. The 34-year-old Price (22-4, 18 KOs) is considered past it by a lot of fans. He’s not the same fighter that started his pro career looking exceptional in 2009. Something happened along the way that took the steam out of Price’s career, as he’s not looked like the same fighter since losing two fights to Tony Thompson in 2013. If it’s just mental, then he could be a real problem for Povetkin if he can get his mind right and stay focused for their fight on March 31. Price has the advantage in height, reach, power and youth over the 38-year-old Povetkin. Price doesn’t have the punch resistance, chin and the same ring IQ as the Russian fighter.
“Of course you make Povetkin a big favorite, but David Price can really punch and if he can knockout Alexander Povetkin, he catapults himself to No 1 in the WBA World rankings,” Hearn said to skysports.com. ”We have approval from the British Boxing Board of Control, from the WBA as well. David Price has confirmed the fight. The contract is with Alexander Povetkin, just recently went with him after agreeing to terms,” Hearn said.
Povetkin has been around for a long time in the heavyweight division since 2005. Povetkin has 2-year period where he held the WBA heavyweight title from 2011 to 2013. As talented as Povetkin is, he’s just never been able to grab a world title and hold onto it. Wladimir Klitschko ended Povetkin’s short run as the WBA champion in beating him in 2013. The 6’2” Povetkin looked like he didn’t belong in the same ring with the much taller 6’6” Klitschko.
Povetkin is the WBA mandatory right now after beating Christian Hammer on December 15 in a WBA title eliminator. Povetkin is waiting his turn for a title shot against Joshua. If Price beats Povetkin, then that title shot will go to him against Joshua. That’s the risk that Povetkin will be taking in facing Price. He’s a fighter that is struggling right now, but his punching power and size makes him a threat to Povetkin, who is no spring chicken at 38.
Povekin came close to getting a title shot against WBC champion Deontay Wilder last year, but he failed a drug test and lost out on his title shot. Povetkin isn’t rated in the World Boxing Council’s top 15 at this time. Povetkin is ranked #1 WBA and #5 with the IBF.
Price’s chin has been the limiting factor in his career that has prevented him from going further. He was knocked out by Tony Thompson twice, Erkan Teper and Christian Hammer.
This will be one of the rare fights in the 6’8″ Price’s career in which he’s not the favorite going in. Price has been the favorite of his matches. One reason for that is Price hasn’t fought a lot of good opposition.